


Give Me Love

by Lazy Cat Corner (Gummyyummy156)



Series: Valki One-Shots [7]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, music inspired fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-16
Packaged: 2019-05-07 23:01:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14681262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gummyyummy156/pseuds/Lazy%20Cat%20Corner
Summary: Valkyrie, is what the people in the neighborhood would consider their protector. To Valkyrie, they’re thinking too highly of her. Meanwhile, Asgard is making a home of Norway, but there’s something about the place that seems rather empty.





	Give Me Love

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt idea: “Give me love like her. Cause lately I’ve been waking up alone.”  
> 

She hates them. Their bright smiles that are brimming with delight. How warm they look huddled together in the booth and talking about their mundane problems. How the blond-haired girl leans to her lover for support. She hates that no more than thirty minutes ago, they were cornered in an alley. Begging for their lives until she came dashing in. She hates that they thanked her and moved on with their lives. That she followed them and watched them take a seat in this café and let the hot drinks soothe away their stress.

Yet she still sticks with her job. She chooses to rescue more helpless souls, just so they don’t have to wake up alone. So they don’t have to worry if they will watch anybody die one by one. They could go home and have a warm dinner with their loved ones and live an ordinary life.

Valkyrie looks away when she notices the couple lean in for a kiss. A sickening ache spreads in her chest. Her coffee isn’t going to make herself feel better and watching the group was probably a bad idea. She’s going to need something stronger before she goes to bed tonight. Valkyrie finishes her drink and walks next door to the liquor store.

* * *

She has made a home out of this place. Most people wouldn’t consider where she lives to be a home. It’s an abandoned warehouse.  It’s cold, damp, overly spacious and she often gets unwelcome vermin scampering around. Even so, Valkyrie has impressed herself that she managed to feel at home by adding a mattress, some salvaged furniture, several bottles of liquor, and stringing up a few broken fairy lights around her cavern. If it didn’t smell of sewage and came with indoor plumbing, she could have gotten away with calling it a studio. Unfortunately for her, she knows better, that this place is a former crack house and she’s nothing more than a squatter.

At least the church down the street is kind enough to lend her their showers. To be more accurate, the pastor turning his back while catching Valkyrie sneaking out of the broken backdoor is what she would consider to be kindness. For a year, they have shared this unspoken agreement that Valkyrie keeps the building safe from robberies in exchange for hot water and the occasional friendly nod while passing by.

Valkyrie returns from her usual nightly shower and pulls on her warmest jacket. Perhaps tonight wasn’t a good day to walk two blocks while dripping wet, but the feeling of hot water massaging her sore muscles was too tempting to resist. She shivers at the breeze blowing through the cracked window and wraps herself in her bedsheets.  The weather is turning into winter and making it harder for Valkyrie to keep warm. She doesn’t like making fires if she doesn’t have to and settles for bundling herself up with a bottle of whiskey and some canned food.

Valkyrie settles herself on her mattress and turns on the police scanner.

“Let’s see what we have, today.” She leans back and starts nibbling on her cold can of beans.

* * *

The air in Norway is a lot cooler than Asgard, but that’s the way Loki likes it. While his brother spends most of his days in the palace and working on fighting off the slightest draft leaking through the windows, Loki spends his time outside and breathing in the crisp air. It’s the kind of temperature a frost giant would call “spring weather”.  A small wave of anticipation tickles his spine when he realizes that snow should be coating their settlement soon. He tries not to project his love for the cold in front of the people of Asgard, but it’s too hard to resist the twitch in his brother’s eye every time he says the word “winter”.

Loki leans back against the boulder and watches the icy waves brush back and forth below his feet. It’s a miracle to him that he made it this far to feel this sense of tranquility. Only a year ago, he was convinced that his grim future would guarantee a permanent death. Before that, he believed that he had no chance of redemption or forgiveness. The Norns might have a darker sense of humor than him. He would probably laugh along if nobody else around him was hurt in the process.

Frigga.

Odin.

The Warriors Three.

Sif.

Jane.

And countless other victims under Thanos and Hela’s wrath combined were enough to wipe the smile off of Loki’s face.

After enough years, things were optimistic for him and he wouldn’t say he thinks so low of himself anymore. It took time and some help, but things are better and significantly brighter.

Come to think of it, Loki has never gotten around to properly thanking Bruce for tolerating his perpetual episodes of brooding and self-blame. It’s thanks to him that he’s not holed up in some mountain and endlessly mumbling the list of all the people he’s hurt in his life.

_No._

That’s not the entire truth. There was one other person in his life who cared enough to patch him up and share his pain.

But she’s long gone. She was his sliver of hope and she got too swallowed up in his greedy darkness. She left him behind and took with her the comforting light his shadows so desperately seek out.   

Loki’s chest aches thinking about Valkyrie. He remembers the night she left him. The night she left everyone.

Not too long after Thanos’s defeat, Valkyrie looked more grieved. Even after the fall of Asgard, Thanos wiped off a significant population of what was left. Thor, Bruce, and Loki were forced to abandon Valkyrie with the remainder of Asgard to fend for themselves.

The war was unforgiving.

Valkyrie and Heimdall did their best to protect the survivors and most would consider their efforts a success. Still, Valkyrie never forgave herself for the small loss of her people.

The two did what they could to comfort each other, but there is little salvation when Valkyrie only had so much light to give Loki.  

She left him angry. The both of them too heated to make any coherent or rational argument. Valkyrie slung her bag over her shoulder and had the last word. She went off about how toxic he is for her and she needs better, leaving both Loki and, her sword, Dragonfang, alone in her room. He was speechless but doubtful. He was sure she would come home after breaking a few boulders and a fitful sleep on the dirt.

After two weeks, he knew she meant it this time. Valkyrie had enough of Loki and left to find a better place. Maybe someone who wouldn’t be as overbearing and could match up to her warmth.  

Loki checks his watch and curses. His brother would not be happy if he shows up late, again, to another meeting. He wipes off the stray tear running down his cheek, gives the view of the water one last look and transports himself to the throne room.

* * *

Valkyrie waves to the grateful couple goodbye. Perhaps watching other people being happy isn’t so bad. She watches the amorous pair wander off. A pit of longing in her heart.

 She cleans off the last of the booze she stole from their attacker (a little payment for her services). She shudders when she looks at the back of the couple’s heads. In the dark, that black hair looks almost like-

“Helping out more people at this hour, Silver Phoenix?” Father Doug interrupts Valkyrie’s train of thought.

“Please don’t call me that.” Valkyrie winces.

The pastor shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t know what else to call you. That’s what everyone here knows you as. A protector for those who need you the most. If you would give me a name, I would be happy to fix that.”

Valkyrie snickers. “I don’t think so. Wouldn’t want to get too familiar.”

“Is that so bad?” He tilts his head.

“Very bad. I’m not what people would consider a lifelong friend.” Valkyrie throws the last bottle of liquor in the garbage can and makes her way back home.

“There’s supposed to be a snowstorm.” The pastor stops Valkyrie in her tracks. “You’re welcome to spend the night in the church,” he offers.

“I got a place to stay.” Valkyrie shrugs.

“We both know that’s a lie.” He smiles. “Wherever you are, it doesn’t have hot water. I can guarantee it won’t hold up in the snowstorm.”

“I’m a lot tougher than most people.” Valkyrie pounds her chest. “Being a protector and all,” she teases.

“If you insist. As you know, the backdoor is always open.” The pastor waves goodbye and turns around.

Valkyrie zips up her jacket and leaves. The pastor is too kind to her. A wave of panic courses through Valkyrie at the thought of the man lying dead under Thanos’s foot. Valkyrie picks up her pace and sprints. She needs to get home. Now!

* * *

The meeting was uneventful, as usual, but Loki would be a poor diplomat if he avoided it for the third time this month. Thor dismisses the court and leaves the room.

Loki stands up to leave the throne room and is immediately halted. Heimdall places a hand over Loki’s shoulder and glares at Loki. He’s one of the very few who would dare to be so forward with him. Loki knows what he wants to talk about. He does this every so often. Persuade him to bring Asgard’s bravest warrior home. For whatever reason, Heimdall never seems to think it’s a big enough problem for Thor.   

“ _She’s_ getting worse,” Heimdall frowns, “I’m worried about her. Unlike on Sakaar, she doesn’t have that fighting spirit to keep moving.”  

“And what exactly do you think I can do to change that?” Loki sneers.

There’s a look of pain in Heimdall’s eyes. “I’m disappointed, your highness, that you would dismiss her so easily. After all that she’s done for you-

“She doesn’t want _my help._ She shoved me away and called my air _too thick to breathe in_ before she left. There’s nothing I can do that would change her.”

“Sometimes, we hurt the people we care about the most,” Heimdall suggests.

Loki scoffs at Heimdall and puts his hands in his pockets.

“Why haven’t you brought this up with The King if you insist she needs to come back.”

Heimdall holds his glare and Loki feels like when he was a child and Heimdall would scold him.

“She wouldn’t listen to Thor, but she listens to you. Don’t think I’ve ignored you two.” His golden eyes gleam. A reminder of how much Heimdall really knows.   

“She’s doesn’t listen to me as much as you believe.” Loki shifts in his place and begins to shuffle around Heimdall.

“Just consider seeing her. She doesn’t have to know you came, but if you saw her then you would see why it concerns me. Anyway, you’re one of the few she trusts.”

Loki snorts and waves a dismissive hand. “Clearly you haven’t been watching us as close as you think. You believe that we have some unbreakable bond, but I can assure you our relationship was far from it.” Loki rolls his eyes and repeats the words that were once said to him. “ ‘Toxic, overbearing and no chance of hope’. She would slam the door in my face if I tried.”

Loki turns away. His silence telling Heimdall enough that he’s not going to discuss further.  

“She’s in a warehouse somewhere in Detroit if you change your mind.” Heimdall pats Loki’s shoulder and returns to his duties.

Loki remains still in his place and holds his attention at a window. Small drops of water sprinkle the glass. Not enough to stick, but at this rate, snow is in the near future. The weather _is_ getting colder. He wonders how the weather is in Detroit.

* * *

Valkyrie closes the warehouse door and shakes off the snow. She darts over to her trashcan and begins a fire.

Valkyrie pulls over her tin can closer to the mattress and throws in firewood. A wave of panic takes over when she realizes the wood is damp. Lighting a fire is going to be harder than she imagined.

“Shit!”

She shakes at the empty bottle of lighter fluid. Valkyrie frantically searches her empty bottles of liquor. She picks up the one last bottle of Vodka and studies the contents. There won’t be enough left for herself and she wonders if what is left will even keep the fire going.

Would it even make a difference if she got a fire to go?

The wise choice would be to use it for the fire, but Valkyrie really doesn’t want to let herself whimper to sleep. She opens up the bottle and chugs. Without breathing and without thinking, Valkyrie drops the empty bottle in the trashcan and reaches over for another bottle. She doesn’t even process that there was another one left for the fire. Valkyrie sets herself back on the mattress. She sighs and lets the harsh liquor warm up her gut.

 _This will warm me up._ She lies to herself and feels the tears streaming down her face.

She imagines she’s someplace warm. Where she could bundle herself up in blankets and shut herself out from the rest of the world. Valkyrie lets out a sigh. Imagining a pair of arms circling around her and a sense of safety taking over her. For a moment, she could almost smell faint traces of leather and cologne.

Valkyrie brushes off some snowflakes tickling her nose and finishes what is left in her bottle. At this point, sleeping through the storm would probably be better. The vodka pulses in her veins and she lets it pull her into a deep sleep.

Valkyrie feels dizzy, but she has to wake herself up.

She’s burning. Practically sweating through her hoodie. Valkyrie peels off all the extra layers and curls up in the mattress while kicking off her sweatpants and bedsheets. Valkyrie sucks in an icy breath and watches the layer of sweat cling to her tank top. Her body is moving between shivering from the wind stabbing her numb hands and cooling her overheated muscles.  Valkyrie is not unfamiliar with what she’s feeling and perhaps she has a sporting chance to crawl back to the church and reconsider the pastor’s offer.

Her body resists when she picks up her heavy head and feel the room spin. Everything around her is disorienting and she can’t tell if it’s the liquor or snowstorm that’s making her feel this way.

She will take a short nap and then go back to the church for some warmth. Valkyrie lets her heavy eyelids close and feels her heartbeat slow down to a small rhythm.

* * *

The snow is unforgiving, but it’s nothing that Julie and her brother haven’t prepared for. Her mother used to call them sled dogs. Always pushing through the cold and wrapped up in the puffiest coats. The three of them would hop from shelter to shelter and fight off another bitter winter together. Thankfully, when her mother passed away she left Julie with their street smarts and resilience. Julie is confident that this year, she will do fine leading the pack.  

 Julie pushes open the rickety door and pulls her brother in the warehouse.

“How is it colder in here?” Her brother, Dan, shivers.

Julie scans the place and points to the broken windows. “Some snow got through.”

“We can probably make do.”

They make their way to the back of the building.

“Oh shit!” Julie stops in her tracks.

The pair remains silent and study the still body slumped over the dirty mattress.

“That’s the girl who helps around with the crime. ‘Silver Phoenix’ is what the news keeps saying,” Julie laughs at the silly name.

“Is she dead?” her brother asks.

A stab of pain courses through Julie. It’s the first time she ever got a good look at their guardian. She looks younger than she last saw her darting across the streets. Nobody ever knew a thing about this person and most people would spin these elaborate stories about how their hero lives in a mansion. Spending her money on helping the less fortunate and keeping the police on their toes. It would break everyone’s heart if they could see the truth right here.

Julie tenses up. There’s a warning buzzing in her gut and she suddenly feels unsafe in the warehouse.

“I’m not sure, but the least we can do is alert the police.”

Julie and her brother dart out of the warehouse for the nearest phone and to continue their search for shelter.

* * *

Loki scans the run-down neighborhood. His tracking spells never fail him and this one is no exception. He wishes there was an error. His heart aches to know that Valkyrie wasn’t living as comfortably as he imagined. There’s still a thought of confusion that overtakes him.  

_Why would she go here?_

Valkyrie isn’t the type to care where she lives, but even this type of place seems like it wouldn’t be her preferred choice of living.  

Loki looks down on the snow and notices several sets of footprints. Either someone was here or they are hiding. He tenses up and pulls out his blades, ready to scare off any threats. He slithers through the crack of the door and moves in the shadows of the empty building. Loki notices a shadow of a still body against the corner of the room. He slowly approaches the figure and stands over the worn-down mattress on the ground.

Loki pockets his knives and sucks in a breath.

She looks like a painting. The way her back perfectly arches forward on the mattress and how the off-white bedsheets wrinkle in the shape of feathers. They almost mirror the tattoo over her wrist. Loki would selfishly stop to admire the image if he didn’t see the alarming discoloration on her skin. Loki chokes back a whine when he notes the bones poking through Valkyrie’s shirt. She looks like she hasn’t eaten in years and the hollows of her cheeks make it seem like she’s been fighting off starvation even longer. Loki remembered her as a fierce tiger. Lithe and always alert for the nearest threat but now, the damage on her makes her look more like a skittish alley cat.   

Her body is too still. She should have heard him walk in. A feeling of panic bursts in Loki’s chest.

Loki quickly bends down and searches for a pulse. He lets out a breath of relief when his seidr reads a slow but beating heart.

Loki wraps Valkyrie up in her blankets and scoops her in his arms. Her damp hair presses against the sleeve of Loki’s jacket and the cold-water leaks through the fabric. Valkyrie’s head lolls back and he hears a small cry escape from her. Loki releases some of his seidr and warms up her freezing body.  

“Stupid girl,” he growls. “Why are you all wet in this cold weather?” He scolds the unconscious woman in his arms.

A chorus of police sirens approach the front doors of the warehouse. Loki turns and notices the flashing blue and red lights leaking through the cracks of the building. He huffs out a breath of frustration and teleports someplace safer.

* * *

Valkyrie curls her toes at the brush of warmth tickling her feet. She never imagined Valhalla was literally made of clouds as her sisters would tell her when she was a child. The plush surface sinks deep in Valkyrie’s aching bones and soothes a throbbing headache. Valkyrie tries to move her hand up to rub her eyes and is met with resistance.

Is she tied down?

No.

Her limbs feel unbound, but there is a heavy set of blankets rolled around her. She almost feels like Dragonfang fastened in her sheath. She’s wrapped up in so many covers, there’s no way she can get out without an extra set of hands. She jerks her foot and tries to kick off whatever is overheating her feet. She feels something underneath her shift and moves towards her face.

Valkyrie opens her eyes and squints at the blinding light.

A hand gently presses over her and she hears a familiar voice.

“Val, can you hear me?”

The voice tries to shush Valkyrie as she squirms in the tightly wound blankets.

“You’re safe,” the voice soothes. “Breathe, Valkyrie. I’m not going to hurt you.”

Valkyrie’s dry mouth keeps her from making a sound. She slowly cracks her eyes back open and her heart palpitates at the familiar face.

“Loki?” Valkyrie croaks.

Loki leans behind the bed and brings a bottle of water to her lips. Without question, Valkyrie swallows every last drop of the warm water.

She coughs out some water that went down the wrong pipe.

“How are you feeling?” Loki discards the empty bottle.

Valkyrie wiggles under the covers and feels her muscles throbbing. She’s too weak to free her hands.

“Get me out!” Valkyrie hisses.

Loki reaches underneath and unwinds the mess of blankets.

“You almost froze to death,” Loki explains. “I had to dry you off and slowly warm you up.”

“Why am I bundled up like some burrito?”

Loki holds back a laugh. She still uses food analogies.

“I panicked.” He gives a weak smile.

“You panicked,” she rolls her shoulders and slowly sits upright, “so you thought binding me would be a brilliant way to wake me up?”

“Wake you up?” Loki furrows his brows. “Valkyrie, do you hear yourself? You almost died and you’re brushing it off like I pulled some prank on you while sleeping.”

Valkyrie scoffs. “Don’t be so dramatic. I was fine!”

Loki’s voice matches Valkyrie’s.

“No, you weren’t!” He stands up. “I found you unconscious, half-naked on some filthy mattress. You felt like ice and could barely make a sound. If I came any later, you would have rot in that abandoned warehouse with nobody there to find your corpse.”

Loki cringes at his lie. The police officers were right behind and they probably would have been able to revive her. _If_ they knew how to revive an Asgardian. He shoves that thought behind and figures he will tell the full story another time.

“Valkyrie, why-why were you there? There were better places to hide. Anywhere would have been better than a place like that.”

Valkyrie stays silent.

Loki softens at the silent response.

“You were hoping to die.” It wasn’t a question.

Valkyrie’s eyes widen. “No.”

“Then what? Why did you leave- Loki stops himself from saying _me_ \- Asgard?” He swallows. “We just settled comfortably in Norway and you took off before anyone could persuade you otherwise.” Loki motions around. “Now, here I am. I find you like a literal skeleton. I drag you out of that hovel and sneak you in this hotel room unnoticed. I spent _forever_ keeping your heart from stopping and it took even longer to get your body temperature back to normal. And here you are, trying to convince me that this city is better than anything I-Asgard,” he corrects himself, “could ever give you.”

“I just needed some sp-

“Bullshit!” Valkyrie stops midsentence, startled. “ _Alfheim_ is where people go for space. _Australia_ is where people go for space. Even _Florida_ , but not _here_. Not some warehouse. Where it’s freezing all the time and in the middle of a crime-infested area. You surely weren’t staying in the nice part of the city, so don’t tell me you wanted a change of scenery.” Loki sits back on the bed and glares. “This is far from a vacation. Why were you really here?” He huffs.

Valkyrie feels guilty for making Loki so angry. She knows he’s only worried and doesn’t have the nerve to say _I was scared!_ He really did help her, though she will never admit it. She could only imagine the fear he must have felt when he saw her. Valkyrie notices her hair is dry and he got her out of her torn up rags. She runs her hand over the sleeve. She smiles knowing she’s wearing one of his nicer silk dress shirts.

No, she owes him better. She owes him a little honesty.

“Because I couldn’t handle it,” Valkyrie confesses, “I couldn’t handle living in Asgard. Where so many people I cared about kept slipping from my hands! No matter what I do or how hard I try, it always goes back.”

Loki tilts his head and frowns.

“I don’t understand.”

Valkyrie sucks in a breath. “It goes back…to _that day._ ”

Valkyrie doesn’t need to go further for Loki to know what she is referring to. It was the first day. The first day Valkyrie lost everything in a heartbeat. When she was left with nothing but her Dragonfang.

“I didn’t want to lose more people,” Valkyrie continues, “Even if the war was over, I could barely hold on as it was. So, I left.” Valkyrie pulls the covers over her shoulder. “Detroit was,” Valkyrie rolls her tongue, “Fine. I could help others and not worry if I would lose another friend. I guess you could say it was- _is_ \- my penance.” She laughs.

The tension on Loki’s face fades. Things are appearing clearer to him.

“I think you’ve done quite enough penance if you ask me!”

“Doesn't feel like it," Valkyrie mutters, "Still, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t lonely here,” she gives a weak smile. “It’s not the worst I’ve endured. Only this time I’ve chosen it.”

There it is again. That same weak reassurance she’s been giving him. _I’m fine. It’s not that bad. I’ve had worse._ Loki can feel her longing for something. What that is, he can’t be certain, but he hopes his instincts are correct and she needs him to give her the opportunity, to tell the truth.

Loki lets out a breath and breaks the silence.

“I’ll make a deal with you.”

“Oh no.” Valkyrie shifts on the bed and begins to get up.

Loki immediately reaches over and stops her.

“At least for today, you’re not going anywhere!” He commands. Loki continues where he left off. “If you answer two of my questions, you are free to do as you choose- _tomorrow_. Does that sound reasonable?”

“You’re acting like I can’t walk out of here out of my own free will.”

“Well, no.” Loki considers. “But I won’t stop trailing behind you until you answer these questions. You know how persistent I am.” He reminds her.

Valkyrie huffs out a breath of frustration.

 “I’m actually too tired to want to leave the bed. So, fine! What’s your question?” Valkyrie returns to her warm nest of blankets.

 “Valkyrie.” Loki locks eyes with her. “Are you _truly_ happy here?”

Valkyrie thinks back to the last twenty-four hours. Her gut clenches at the feeling of hunger and pain her heart would feel every night.

“No.” She shakes her head.

“Then, what do you want?” He presses. “Ask for it, and I’ll give it to you.”

Valkyrie looks out the hotel window. She could ask for anything. Booze, some clothes, even a space heater. As tempting as that sounds, she knows the real warmth she seeks.

“I-I want to go home.” Valkyrie answers without a beat of hesitation.

“Done,” Loki responds flatly.

The two put their heads down at the weight off their shoulders. This whole situation would have been avoided if Valkyrie had the courage to be honest. Before Valkyrie loses this new beat of confidence, she lets herself speak her mind.

“I’m sorry,” Loki peers up, “about what I said to you before I left. I didn’t mean any of it.” Valkyrie turns her head away. She doesn’t want to look him in the eyes. “I was afraid of-of losing you and everyone else. So, I made a runner. I said anything just so you wouldn’t come looking for me.” Valkyrie squeezes her eyes and pushes her tears down. “I’m really sorry that I hurt you.” Her voice cracks.

Loki holds his gaze and studies the guilt etched on Valkyrie’s face. The last thing she needs is for him to start sobbing on her shoulder. Somebody has to keep the other from falling apart and it’s his turn.

Loki nods his head and mumbles, “I know that.” Loki stops himself from leaning forward and pulling her into an embrace. He’s not sure if that would comfort or anger her. “You should get some sleep.” Loki turns off the lamp and stalks over to an uncomfortable looking chair against the hotel window.

Valkyrie sinks herself deeper in the covers and waits for exhaustion to pull her in a dreamless sleep. Her nerves keep trembling at the thought of waking up back on the cold, damp mattress in the warehouse. Everything feels too warm to be real. She opens her eyes and lets out a quiet breath of panic.

“Loki.” Valkyrie looks over to the demigod curled up on the plush chair.

“Hmm?” Loki cracks open an eye.

“Will you stay here?” Valkyrie jerks her head to the empty side of the bed. “Like you used to.” She bites her tongue for sounding so helpless.

Loki sits up and feels a warmth in his throat. He would have thought she was mocking him if he didn’t see the pained look in her eyes.

He’s quiet when he moves. Like automatically obeying an order, he settles himself on the other end of the bed and pulls Valkyrie in his arms. Valkyrie pushes her nose against Loki’s chest and lets out a small sob.

Loki runs his hand over her hair and breathes in that sweet smell that always makes him so weak. It’s buried under some cheap soap, grime, and faint traces of sweat, but her fragrance could never be washed away from her skin.     

He rests his palm over her scrawny back and lets the small pulses of her heartbeat remind him that she’s with him and alive. Hopefully, he will one day see that soft glow return and repair the wear and tear the harsh city did to her.

“You’re safe now,” Loki mutters over Valkyrie’s quiet sobs. He places a small kiss on the crown of her head.

He feels her start to wind down and fall asleep.

“Tomorrow, we will go home. Like you wanted,” he promises.

**Author's Note:**

> Blanket burrito Valkyrie is something so adorable, I don’t know why I don’t write about it often. She seems like the type to knot herself up in the bedcovers and hide until she becomes one with the bed.  
> Feel free to say hi to me on [Tumblr!](http://lazy-cat-corner.tumblr.com/) That’s where most of my shenanigans take place.  
> 


End file.
